Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

This recipe is inspired by the crispy rice and spicy tuna at Nobu.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Keyword ahi, ahi tuna, avocado, crispy rice, eel sauce, fish, raw, rice, seafood, spicy mayo, sriracha, tuna

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Servings

Calories 506kcal

Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse until the water that runs out of the bottom is clear. This gets some of the starch out of the rice. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, 2 cups of water, mirin and rice vinegar.
Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork.
Finely chop the tuna. While it can be chopped using a knife, the easiest way to do this is by using the pulse mode on a blender or food processor.
In a medium bowl mix the tuna, mayonnaise and chili sauce. Stir in the green onions and hot sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet to 375°F (190ºC). Wet your hands before working with the rice, it helps to keep the rice from sticking on your fingers. Scoop ¼ cup balls of the rice. Press the rice ball down so it is shaped like a tightly packed saucer.
Fry only a few pieces of rice at a time in the pan. Cook the rice patties, rotating so that the rice is golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
Place each crispy rice on top of a leaf of butter lettuce (optional). Top each of the pieces of fried rice with a tablespoon size of the spicy tuna mixture. Top each crispy rice and spicy tuna with a slice of avocado, a slice of jalapeño and drizzle with eel sauce. Serve immediately.

*Note: Specialty Japanese ingredients can be found at an Asian market, some gourmet markets or online.